Relocating in any capacity requires a lot of pre-planning and coordination. When moving a business, the stakes are even higher for an employer when they take their employees’ concerns into consideration. However, Arlington, Virginia has many great aspects that a business can take advantage of to make a relocation both efficient and rewarding.
1. Proximity to Transportation – Not Just Metro
When looking at relocating a business, proximity to transportation options ranks near the top of the list of important factors. Businesses are becoming increasingly aware that access to transportation is a key factor in attracting new talent and creating a better work/life balance for staff.
Metro access allows large numbers of staff an easy and convenient way to travel to work each day without needing to get behind the wheel of a car. The rail network reaches out across the region, providing one of the fastest ways to traverse the city.
Metro station proximity isn’t feasible for all businesses, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be near transportation options. Shirlington, one of the urban villages in Arlington, is a great example. The area touts one of the busiest regional bus hubs in Northern Virginia while still having a quick 10-minute ride to the nearby Pentagon City Metro Station via an express bus.
2. Employees Will Need Help with New Commutes
Commuting to a new area or building can be daunting at first for even the most seasoned commuter. Working with Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) can help you plan ahead and learn the tools you can use to find the best commuting methods.
The nice part of relocating is that all employees will likely be open to trying something new. If you’ve been subsidizing parking for years but are moving somewhere closer to Metro, now’s your chance to reduce your parking space requirements.
ATP is able to assist by meeting with staff before, during and even after a relocation to make sure everyone is aware of all their transportation options. It is especially important to inform staff of this if your business has never been located near public transit options. Many people will find public transit to be foreign and intimidating when first moving to a more transit-rich area. That’s where the education piece really becomes important.
3. Transit Benefits Are Key
If you’re moving from an area where public transportation was not prevalent, it’s very likely your organization does not currently offer a transit benefit. It’s crucial to set up transit benefits for employees when moving to a more transit oriented area like Arlington County.
Transit benefits allow commuters to fill their Metro cards through pre-tax payroll deductions that can save them up to 38% on their monthly commuting costs. If your business wants to set up a transit benefit, you can reach out to one of our representatives.
4. Change in Parking Capacity
When looking for a new location, you will likely find that you need to reduce your total parking footprint. Many businesses moving to Arlington County run into this scenario, but there are quite a few options to help resolve any sort of shortage. Reducing parking can also save your business money by paying less in benefits and subsidies for dedicated parking spots.
Solve parking shortages
- Create preferred vanpool and carpool parking spots. A vanpool or carpool carrying just four people frees up three additional parking spots, saving your business money and parking spaces.
- Promote transit benefits as a cost-saving commuting option to decrease demand for parking.
- Utilize ATP’s services to educate staff about their alternative transportation options through on-site events, seminars and information to shift people away from driving alone.
- Give greater incentives to sustainable transportation options rather than parking.
5. Proximity to Local Amenities
While locating near transportation options is one of the most important aspects, it’s not a bad idea to also consider the amenities of the area. Your office can be sitting directly above a Metro station, but you’ll be sure to here from staff if there aren’t any local amenities in the area.
Access to lunch options within walking distance is definitely a consideration that will be appreciated. Locating near shops and other stores also adds an additional benefit. Running for groceries after work or running errands on your lunch break can help save you time. These may seem like small things, but they all contribute to creating a positive work/life balance.
You Got This!
Relocations take a lot of work, we get it. The information above is not an all-encompassing guide but can definitely get you on the right track. For more information, just contact us.
Photo Credit: Sam Kittner/Kittner.com for Arlington Transportation Partners